Tahqiq, Takhrij, Sharh

Muhadith Zubair Ali Zai

Translated Abu Ubaydah

Translated, Checked & Additional Notes

Abu Hibban & Abu Khuzaimah Ansaari

(Eating a) Spiny Tailed Mastigure Lizard is Halal

Abu Umamah: One Hadith

[70] From Malik from Ibn Shihab from Abu Umama Ibn Sahl Ibn Hunayf from Abdullah Ibn Abbas that Khalid Ibn al-Walid Ibn al-Mugira entered the house of Maimuna, the wife of the Prophet, (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), with the Messenger of Allah, (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), and he was brought a roasted mastigure (uromastix, Egyptian lizard, spiny tailed lizard, herbivore lizard). The Messenger of Allah, (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), stretched his hand towards it. One of the women who was in Maimuna’s house said, “Tell the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), what he means to eat.” Someone said, “It is a lizard, Messenger of Allah.” He withdrew his hand. Khalid said, “Is it haram, Messenger of Allah?” He said, “No, but it is not found in the land of my people, so i do not like it.”

Khalid added, “I chewed and ate it while the Messenger of Allah, (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), was looking.”

Transmitted by Bukhari (no.5537) from the hadith of Malik and Muslim (44/1944) from the hadith of Zuhri

[UNDERSTANDING FROM THE HADITH]

1) It is not necessary to eat everything that is Halal (i.e. you have a choice to eat it or not). The Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said about the Lizard, “Neither do I eat it and neither do I declare it haram” (al-Muwatta (1/968, hadith no.1872, and its chain is authentic and Tirmidhi authenticated it no.1790)

2) The Lizard is halal. Some people translate it as Iguana which is incorrect.

3) The noble Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) didn’t know the unseen, rather only Allah has knowledge of the unseen and this attribute is specific to him.

4) It is permissible to prepare food for your friends, students etc. (when inviting them)

5) Declaring something halal or haram is not the right of any person from the Muslim Ummah, rather this depends on the Quran and Sunnah based on evidences which comply with the Sharia

8) It is possible that a persons customary habits of his local area influence and remain with him.

9) It is permissible to leave something the heart is not content with.

10) Whatever action was performed in front of the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) and he saw it and chose to remain silent then this is called a taqriri hadith and this is a proof just like the a hadith of the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) based on his statement and actions.